Google lands Gmail video chat on Linux

Google has introduced a Linux incarnation of the online voice and video chat client that integrates with Gmail and other Google services.

In a blog post, the company says that Linux support was its top video chat request. "If you’ve been wanting to use voice and video chat on Linux," the post reads, "then we have good news for you: it’s now available!"

Introduced in November 2008, Google's voice and video chat service was designed to allow instant video chats from Gmail, but now, it can also be launched directly from iGoogle and Orkut, that social networking service so loved in Brazil and India.

The Linux plug-in supports Ubuntu and other Debian-based distros, and Google says that RPM is on the way. The plug-in and service are free. ®